The Beauty of Andaman and Nicobar Islands: A Travel Photo Series
The tropical island paradise called Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the South Eastern ocean waters of India can be seen in many vibrant shades. It’s rich emerald waters, pristine beaches, lush tropical forests, mangroves, tribal cultures and rich diversity in terms of people, food, forests, flora, fauna and landscapes make it an archipelago of unparalleled beauty. People visit these islands to snorkel or scuba dive or just to enjoy a relaxing beach holiday in a budget tropical island paradise. I have been privileged to have explored this island at length many times in the past and am delighted to share its beauty with you through these travel photos. I hope these photographs entice you to plan your upcoming holiday to this tropical archipelago wonder.
Above photo: Andaman and Nicobar islands is blessed with spectacular sunsets. This particular one was shot at Asia’s best beach – Radhanagar beach or Beach no. 7 at Havelock island in Andaman Islands.
Above photo: It takes a while to reach this island from Port Blair, but the journey is totally worth it. This is the absolutely clean and pristine Butler Bay beach in Little Andaman, where you have the entire beach and its nature all to yourself.
Above photo: A trek through tropical forests and mangroves brings you to this secluded white sandy beach. As it is not easily accessible, the general public usually avoids it, but if you have are game for a bit of adventure, you will really enjoy Havelock Island’s Elephant beach. It is perfect for a picnic beach outing with a book in hand and lots of peace and quiet around.
Above photo: Andaman and Nicobar islands are full of limestone karsts and caves. This blue view of Bay of Bengal can be seen from a large crevice inside a limestone cave in Little Andaman.
Above photo: With extremely low levels of pollution and a fairly undisturbed surroundings, nature thrives here. A case in point are the hermit crabs that can be seen in thousands at Beach No. 3 in Havelock Island.
Above photo: A hot favorite with visitors, Beach No. 7 or Radhanagar beach is known for its white sands, gorgeous waters and spectacular sunsets. But, for me, the massive tropical trees lining the beach are its main highlight. I wish that these trees stay like this for many more generations to come.
Above photo: Havelock island is full of untapped beach walks where you are one with your surroundings. This one is the offbeat Kalapathar beach. All you have to do is rent a scooter, ride to this part of the island, park it by the beach, remove your footwear and walk barefoot on these smooth silver sands.
Above photo: This is the view that greets you as you arrive from Port Blair by boat to North Bay beach. Popular with locals, North Bay is known for its gorgeous beach setting and old light house.
Above photo: This is the view of Jolly Buoy Island inside the Marine national park, a great place to snorkel and to see a pristine island/beach ecosystem.
Above photo: Jolly buoy island beaches are as virgin as they can get. With minimum visitors and boats allowed here, exotic flora and fauna thrive here. I sincerely wish I could stay here for months together.
Above photo: Baratang Island in central Andamans is known for its mangrove swamps and limestone caves. This sultry boat ride takes you through the heart of the mangrove swamps and towards the massive limestone caves and their gorgeous stalactites and stalagmites.
Above photo: You are never far from a gorgeous sunset in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This is one such sunset, I saw as I was departing on my evening fishing expedition.
Above photo: Havelock Island’s Beach No. 3 is popular with visitors as it has calm, warm waters, beautiful white sandy beach and lush greenery. 3 perfect elements for a perfect beach holiday.
Above photo: Such sights are quite the norm at ROSS Island. Many old buildings here used during the British rule have been taken over by the roots of the Banyan tree.
Above photo: This was the view from my place of stay. The stay was a humble bamboo cottage with just a fan, while the view was worth a million stars. I enjoyed many afternoon naps, book reads and photography sessions here.
Above photo: This part of the beach happened to my regular haunt as this was the place where I learnt my open water fishing. Me and my friend would accompany the local fishermen every evening for a month to catch fish. Even though I am a vegetarian, this was a memorable experience for me.
Above photo: This was the location of my first scuba dive. Called ‘The Light House’, this place is known for its rich coral reefs in shallow waters and a great environment to entice beginners into the world of scuba diving.
Above photo: Baratang Island in central Andamans can be reached through a combination of a road trip and a ferry ride. Buses, four wheelers, motorcycles and people use this ferry to reach Baratang Island. The ride is painstakingly slow, but the gorgeously green views compensate for the slow ride.
Above photo: The infamous Cellular Jail (Kaala Paani), a colonial prison where Indian independence activists were jailed and tortured and hanged.
Above photo: A sign of a good coastal system lies in its mangrove forests as it is these forests that protect the island from tsunamis, storms and erosions. This is one such mangrove forest at Havelock Island.
Above photo: One of the most dense forests of Andaman Islands can be found at Baratang Island. The tropical evergreen forests, rainforests, grasslands, shrubland and mangrove forests make for a rich forest ecosystem.
Above photo: The infamous location where the famous Kaala Paani punishment was meted out. A location with a great view, but a gory past.
Above photo: This is Corbyn Cove beach, a popular beach location at Port Blair and a favorite with the locals.
Above photo: Another one of Andaman’s famous sunsets. Here the sky has turned multiple shades of orange at Port Blair, the capital of this Union territory.
